Tehran Calls On U.S. To Release Detained Iranians

Iran has called for the release of 19 Iranians held in the United States.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on August 26, "We call on the American government and their judicial authorities to put an end to the detention of these individuals."

The call comes a day after Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi was quoted as saying the Islamic republic had no plans to swap detained Washington Post reporter Jason Rezaian for any Iranian prisoners held in the United States.

The 39-year-old Rezaian has been imprisoned in Iran for more than a year on espionage charges.

The newspaper, the U.S. government, and major press freedom organizations around the world have denounced the case.

At the end of Rezaian's trial on August 10, his lawyer said the verdict should come "within a week."